Commonly, fangirls are less interested in debates on canon, and more interested in the (often romantic) relationships between fictional characters, such as slash and shipping fanfic.
I'll grant that it's been a few years since anyone would have called me a fangirl (and "fanwoman" just doesn't have the same ring), but is this really true? I like my comics with plenty of character moments (though a plot or some punching is also important), and relationships are part of that, but honestly, I don't look for them outside of what's in the books. "'Shipping" just isn't something I do. (I gather that "'shipping" refers to pairing up characters that aren't actually paired up in the books?) I also don't read fan fiction. I don't think there's anything wrong with it--to each their own, and anything that promotes interest in our small world has to be good, right?--but I'm really only interested in what goes in in the actual books.
I do, of course, come across comic-related blogs with a focus on fan fiction and 'shipping and so forth. It may be that most of this material is generated by female fans. (I don't know this for sure, as I don't gender-check the blogs I read.) But even if that's so, that's not the same thing as it being characteristic of female fans in general, right? Basic logic, right?
All A's are B's.
does not mean that
All B's are A's.
Or, to be more specific,
All relationship-focused fans are women fans.
does not mean that
All women fans are relationship-focused fans.
Right? Right.
It just strikes me that if there is a defining characteristic, this isn't it.
7 comments:
Maybe there's a difference between being a female fan and a fangirl. ;)
I was into fan fic (but not the relationship stuff so much) for TV shows. I did write a couple of short fan fic stories for Roy Harper years ago, to fill in some gaps, as I saw them, for his relationship with Ollie. But same as you, I prefer my comics stories to be in the books.
And it's been decades since I was a girl. :)
Heh. I remember bristling just a little bit when I first read that. Yes, I enjoy some romantic characterizations, but as a Green Lantern fan, you'd BETTER believe that I go into passionate rages if continuity and canon are messed with.
And the moral of the story is, you just can't make huge generalizations for any group of people.
Hi there. I wandered in through When Fangirls Attack.
I consider myself a fangirl because... well, I'm a fan and I am, in fact, female. (And like you said, "fanwoman" just doesn't have the same ring to it.) I do like shipping and romantic relationships, but I also study comics academically. I wrote my thesis as a feminist reading of the Dark Phoenix Saga. So... am I somehow less of a fan because I choose to label myself a fangirl for kicks and giggles?
It's impossible to paint an entire group of people with the same brush; sure, there are lots of female fans who focus exclusively on relationships and fanfic, but there are also male fans who do the same thing. Same goes for fans who'd much rather debate canon. The whole fangirl/female fan distinction rankles me because it comes off as more of a way for some fans to feel more important or like better fans than others.
I don't read fanfic. The closest I came was Splinter In The Mind's Eye (I think that's the name). Anyway since I'm a "fangirl" or as I like to call myself "a female geek" I'm a bit amused. I like reading about heroes (hopefully female ones) kicking large amounts of evil butt. And if I was going to read fanfic, it would be about normal people living in a world of supers. Think about trying to get to work while your usual route is blocked by a big super fight, or trying to go to the bank when half the time it's getting robbed etc. That would be a fun read! I know I'm weird. Maybe I should turn in my fangirl card.
I gather that "'shipping" refers to pairing up characters that aren't actually paired up in the books?
"Shipping" just refers to focusing on the relationship (often to the exclusion of other aspects of the show). I know that there were "shippers" with The Adventures of Lois and Clark who shipped... Lois and Clark. :p
I've been hanging out with fan ficcers going on thirty years now, all female, and none of us are shippers or slashers. The characters may be in relationship, but the focus of the stories is on action-adventure, mystery, humor, or angst, rather like most of the shows we bounce off of.
I suspect the only common denominator for female fans is that we like comics. A lot. Which is basically the only common denominator for male fans, so big surprise there.
The closest I came was Splinter In The Mind's Eye
Which has got to be the worst pro fic I've ever read. Unless you count the Marshak and Culbreath Trek Drek, but at least they were fans writing profit, whereas Alan Dean Foster had written actual readable novels at one point.
I absolutely agree with your post. But I do wonder: are people trying to make the term 'fangirl' derogatory, or is it already?
I consider myself a comic fan, but won't blink an eye if I'm called a fangirl - unless its meant in a disparaging way. In my experience it's nothing like the stereotype of fanboy - the sweaty, obsessed, introverted loser.
I really hope the term 'fangirl' doesn't become a derisive short term for girls who like a certain comic title/character/cartoon for the sole interest of shipping. It almost reeks of the mentality 'girls don't like comics for the stories!' But I guess it doesn't help that much of the shipping & slash fanfiction out there is written by girls.
I wrote that post after being posted on 'When fangirls attack' and still don't understand the concept after googling and reading this post.
I've been into manga and anime for a while yet comics has been the past month. Can't get into fan fics and I only get annoyed at romantic parts when it affects the rest of the story - by Lois and Clark Marrying it opened many more possibilities.
:) I was hoping to figure out if the term has become derogatory (especially in relation to conventions or younger anime fans, from what I gathered).
Thank you for the mention,
Jade
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